Photographer&#39;s changing bag



Oct. 30, 1962 J. c. TOHILL 3,060,819

PHOTOGRAPHER'S CHANGING BAG Filed June 6, 1961 F|G-'|- FIG-2.

INVENTOR. JAM ES C. TOl-i IL L BY o/ynm, 5m 2% f h ll ATTQRN EYS United States Patent 3,060,819 PHOTOGRAPHERS CHANGING BAG James Charles Tohill, Flushing, N.Y., assignor to Cormac Chemical Corporation, Long Island City, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed June 6, 1961, Ser. No. 115,232 3 Claims. (Cl. 951) This invention generally relates to a portable photographers changing bag to be used as the equivalent of a dark room so that film may be loaded and unloaded from a processing tank camera and the like.

Although photographers are accustomed to carrying with them a light and portable bag for the handy storing of photographers gadgets, no practical bag has been devised to supply the advantages of a portable dark room.

In the present practice, so-called portable photographers changing bags are cumbersome and complicated. In order to provide light-tight features and yet at the same time provide a construction that was easily carried, the present art has designed photographers change contrivances which are of the foldable type. Some of the present practice bags seek to avoid penetration of light by providing a heavy box frame construction with hinges and overlapping edgings. They must be collapsed in order to become portable and moveable. The collapsing and uncollapsing of the bag requires care in manipulating the various parts and makes the bag inconvenient to handle as the photographer moves from scene to scene.

Other present practice devices have achieved portabil- -ity and moveability by departing from the collapsing approach. But, in order to avoid light penetration, the bag has essentially a flat configuration with little interior space for manipulation of a camera and related photographers materials. It is of little use to the photographer.

Speaking generally, the present invention provides a light and portable photographers changing bag that need not be collapsed. It is as light and portable as a typical photographers gadget bag. It has a relatively large volume of interior space adequate for manipulation of the camera and other materials of interest to a professional photographer. Light penetration is prevented. It is simple and inexpensive to manufacture.

Briefly, these objects are accomplished by providing a photographers changing bag having a bottom re-enforced with a stiff planar material. Two side walls are integrally connected with the bottom and extend upwardly substantially parallel to each other. A stiff planar material is attached to the inside surface of at least one of the side walls and functions as a liner. The bag also has two end walls integrally connected to the bottom which extend upwardly between the side walls. The upper ends of these end walls have an integral portion extending parallel to the bottom and between the top edges of the side Walls to form an integral top for the bag. The bottom and the side walls and end walls and the top portion of the end walls are all made of flexible polyethylene or the like, a plastic material that is generally impervious to water and photographers chemicals. The integral end walls with their top portion forming the top of the bag are joined along their edges to the edges of the side walls by heat sealing to provide a light-tight joint. A longitudinal and elongated slit type aperture is provided at the top of the bag with a zipper closure thereon for opening and closing the slit. A circular cutout is provided in each central portion of the end walls of the bag and a flexible sleeve is attached to the rim of each cut-out and extends inwardly into the interior of the bag. Each sleeve terminates in a circular hem having an elastic edging. Preferably, a flap is attached to the outside surfaces of each end wall above the cirice cular cut-out so that the flap normally falls downwardly in a position overlying the rim of each cut-out to close the sleeve. The flaps and the sleeves are also made of flexible polyethylene.

Having briefly indicated the nature of the invention, a more specific description will now be made by reference to the drawing, which illustrates a representative embodiment of the invention. Referring to the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a side view showing a representative bag embodying the invention; and

FIGURE 2 is an interrupted end view of the bag of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 3 is an interrupted cross-sectional view of the bag taken along line 3-3 of FIGURE 2; and

FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 4-4 of FIGURE 3.

Referring now more particularly to the illustrative embodiment of the invention shown in the drawing, the bag of the invention is generally indicated by the reference character number 1. All of the parts of the bag are made of flexible polyethylene, a plastic material which is impervious to water and typical photographers chemicals. Although not essential to the invention, it is preferable that this material be colored black in order to absorb light but any opaque coloring can be used. Flexible polyethylene can be joined together by inexpensive heat sealing treatment which provides a joint that is light-tight. Such a joint does not become loose or semi-open through use.

The bag 1 has a rectangular bottom 2 which is made up of a double layer of the material. In order to supply body and rigidity to the bottom, a stiff planar material 2a, such as cardboard or the like is inserted between the double layers of the bottom. The bag has side walls 3 and 4 which consist of a single layer of flexible polyethylene formed integral with the bottom. A reinforcement S of stiff planar material, such as cardboard and the like, is attached to the inside surface of the side walls 3 and 4 by rivets 20 to provide body and rigidity. Similarly, single layers of flexible polyethylene are formed integral with the bottom to extend upwardly as end walls 6 and 7. In this instance, the end walls do not contain stiff planar reinforcements but are flexible.

The end walls 6 and 7 extend upwardly between the side walls and have upper portions which extend horizontally parallel to the bottom to form an integral top 8 for the bag. All of the edges of the integral top 8, and the end walls 6 and 7, are joined to the edges of the side walls 3 and 4 by heat sealing treatment so that the bag as an entirety is completely light-tight.

An elongated and longitudinal slit aperture with a zipper closure 10 exists in the integral top 8 of the bag so that one may pass objects into the interior of the bag through the slit 9 by opening the zipper It The central portion of each end wall 6 and 7 has a circular cut-out between its edge along the bottom 2 and its upper portion adjacent the integral top 8. A sleeve 11, consisting of flexible polyethylene material, is attached at one of its ends to the rim 12 of the cut-out in each end wall 6 and 7. In each instance, the end of sleeve 11 is attached throughout its periphery to the rim cutout 12 by heat sealing treatment so that the joint is lighttight throughout. As shown above in the drawing, the sleeves 11 extend inwardly into the interior of the bag and terminate in a small circular opening having an elastic hem 13.

A carry strap 14 is attached at its ends to each of the side Walls 6 and 7 by the rivets 20.

A rectangular shaped flap 16, made of flexible polyethylene material, is attached along its upper edge to each end wall 6 and 7 just above the rim cut-outs 12.

The attachment is effected by heat sealing. Each flap 16 normally hangs downwardly to overlie the rims of cutouts 12 to close off the sleeves 11 from light.

For added convenience, small elastic bands 21 are positioned within the interior of the bag and are held to reinforcements 5 by stitching. These may be used to hold the photographers camera or other gadgets in relatively fixed position.

In a typical embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings, the bottom was made with a length of 15 inches and width of 5% inches. The side walls 3 and 4 were made with a length of 15 inches and a height of 9 inches. The end walls 6 and 7 and their top portions making up integral top 8 were made with a width of 5% inches and had a length suflicient to extend from both of the bottoms 2.

As will be seen from the drawing, the bag is light and portable. It has a weight of only a few ounces. The side walls 3 and 4 and the end walls 6 and 7 are maintained in a spaced relationship and do not collapse. A relatively large interior space is provided for use by the operator.

In using the invention, the operator can carry the bag by its straps with the same ease and convenience as he is accustomed to carrying his gadget bag. When it is desired to employ the bag as a portable dark room, the camera and related photographers materials are inserted into the bag through the slit 9 after opening zipper 10. The zipper 10 is then closed. Next, the photographer lifts the flaps 16 and extends his hands and arms into and through the sleeves 11. The elastic hems 13 snugly engage the wrists and the operator then can manipulate the camera and other materials in a completely light-tight environment. During this manipulation, the construction itself prevents collapsing of the bag. All of this operation can proceed with the bag held on the operators lap.

Since the bag employs no stitching to attach end walls on side walls to the top or bottom of the bag, the bag is entirely light-tight and will remain so despite continued and prolonged use.

It should be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific details of the foregoing description or to the details of the typical embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawing except as expressly reflected in the claims hereinafter.

What is claimed is:

1. A photographic changing bag comprising a bottom reinforced with a stilt planar material, two side walls reinforced with stiff planar material and integrally formed from said bottom and extending upwardly substantially parallel one to the other, two end walls integrally formed from said bottom and extending upwardly between said said walls, said end walls having upper ends with portions extending towards each other and parallel to the bottom and between the top edges of said side walls to form an integral top for the bag, the integral end walls and top being joined along their edges to the edges of said side walls by sealing with a light-tight joint, said top having a longitudinal and elongated slit with a zipper closure thereon for opening and closing the slit, each of said end walls having a circular cut-out in its central portion, a flexible sleeve attached to the rim of each cut-out and extending inwardly into the interior of the bag, and each sleeve terminating in a circular opening having an elastic hem edging of a size to snugly engage the wrist of an operator.

2. The subject matter of claim 1 characterized by the fact that a flexible flap is attached to each end Wall above the rim of the cut-out by heat sealing, said flap hanging downwardly to overlie the cut-out.

3. The subject matter of claim 2 characterized by the fact that said bottom, side walls and end walls are comprised of flexible polyethylene.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 396,573 Johnson Jan. 22, 1889 2,288,105 Plotkin June 30, 1942 2.487.506 Zaleski Nov. 8. 1949 

